Jan11

virtue.

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This letter from Charles in response to a 5th grade student who had written to him as a class assignment to ask, “What Makes a Good Citizen?’

The student, Joel, still has this letter framed at his home,

and the link to the story is below:

https://www.kqed.org/arts/13852729/charles-schulzs-letter-about-democracy-discovered-50-years-later

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Another take on virtue:

Moral beauty can be summarized in one word: virtue. The moral virtues include love, justice/fairness, compassion, wisdom, kindness, honesty, courage, forgiveness, self-sacrifice, etc. It is the enactment of such virtues, the display of them in behavior, which comprises moral beauty. Moral goodness can be noticed through cool cognition, but moral beauty is perceived by a warm heart. Noticing moral goodness may not motivate a human toward prosocial action; but the perception of moral beauty is highly motivating and often leads to prosocial and altruistic behavior. Engagement with moral beauty is the cause of many self-transcendent emotions, but in particular it is cause of the moral emotion of elevation.

-Rhett Diessner, Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies

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image credit: Charles Schulz, American Cartoonist/Author, Peanuts 

 

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52 responses »

  3. Most of us are familiar with or could name those virtues … if pressed. But I’m thinking of taking each one and wondering if I am actually practicing such with family, friends or strangers. Knowing is a little different than doing. Your examples, quotes etc usually if not always bring some thought to the surface of what is left of my forgetful gray cells.
    I just noticed the date of the letter. 1970 The quest continues.

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  4. Oh the power of a letter in the mail. I can only surmise that this letter is in response to a letter to Charles Schulz and possibly from young person. This would have been framed and a reminder that we all have a duty to be better every day and follow our conscience. Would love to know the background to the letter. Peace.

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  9. As a lifelong Peanuts fan, I love the time that Schulz took to type out thoughtful responses to his readers. I remember the ones he wrote in response to criticism about introducing Franklin, the black character, and now this one is also a wise response. And one that stands the test of time.

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  12. What a treasure that letter is. But as I read I couldn’t help thinking … it all depends on whose definitions of “beauty,” “virtue,” “goodness,” etc., are in play. “Universal” values no longer seem quite universal.

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  18. History repeats itself. There is a small regional airport four hours to the south of us in Santa Rosa called the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport. He lived in Santa Rosa for over 30 years.

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  20. The very segment of the political composition that screams that the other side is a threat to democracy spreads misinformation, disinformation, obfuscates free speech, makes endless criminal accusations, and seeks to prohibit truth and ideas from being published on social media.

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  22. This is so delightful and timely, Beth. I’m engaged in a discussion on my blog right now about the nature of democracy.

    So glad you discovered me, leading me here. I can see there are years of riches to explore.

    Cheers,
    Annie

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